Ship salvaging apparatus



July 22, 1958 J. H. POTTER 2,844,116

v- 4 SHIP SALVAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN H. P0 TTEB,

July 22, 1958 J. H. POTTER 2,844,116

SHIP SALVAGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FROM HIGH PRESSURE PUMP.

2o INVENTOR. JOHN H. porrse,

United States Patent SI-HP SALVAGING APPARATUS John H. Potter, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 17, 1956, Serial No. 604,791

3 Claims. (Cl. 114'50) This invention relates to improved method and apparatus for raising sunken ships by means of buoy-ant bodies introduced into the hulls of the ships.

The primary object of the invention is to provide simpler, more practical and more efiicient apparatus for introducing buoyant bodies into the hull of a sunken ship, carrying out an improved method for raising sunken ships.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character indicated, which can be made in rugged and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, is easily used, and is highly practical and satisfactory for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages of the invention which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a schematic view illustrating operation of a method of the present invention for raising a sunken ship;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the deck and a hold of a sunken ship and showing buoyant bodies therein for raising the ship;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figure l, a salvaging ship, indicated generally at 10, is shown anchored above a sunken ship 12 to be raised. The salvaging ship has secured on the deck thereof apparatus, indicated generally at 14, in accordance with the present invention, including a pump, indicated generally at 16.

The ship 12 to be raised has a deck 17 having a hatch 19 closed by a hatch cover 18. Holes H which can be present in the hull 21 of the sunken ship do not have to be sealed. A conveyor hose 20 is passed downwardly through a suitable opening in the hull 21, as a manhole 23 in the deck 17, into a hold 22, as in the case of all available holds of the sunken ship.

A plurality of buoyant bodies 24, preferably cylindrical in form, is forced into the hold 22 so as to displace water therein through the holes H until the hull 21 has attained sufiicient buoyancy to float and rise to the surface of the water. The buoyant bodies 24 can be of any suitable material, such as aluminum, plastic, or the like, and can be reused in subsequent salvaging operations.

The apparatus 14 comprises a support frame, indicated generally at 30, mounted on the salvaging ship 10, having suitably secured thereon a hopper assembly 26 which includes an upwardly opening hopper 32 to be filled with buoyant bodies 24. The hopper 32 includes a downwardly tapering lower portion 34 having an open lower 2,844,116 Patented July 22, 1958 end 36, see Figure 4, through which buoyant bodies 24 are gravity discharged.

Extending across the lower end of the hopper 32 is a horizontal cylinder 38 in which works a reciprocating piston 40 to which is pivoted at 44 the inward endofa piston rod 46 which extends out of the rear end 47 of the cylinder 38 and is eccentrically pivoted at 60 to and between one end of a pair of crank arms 54 and 56 which are fixed on a shaft 52 journaled in arms 48 and 50 projecting rearwardly from the rear end 47 of the cylinder 38. A pulley 62 is fixed on one end of the shaft 52. The crank arms 54 and 56 are in the form of flywheels.

An electric motor 70 is mounted on a bracket 66 secured to the frame 30, as indicated at 68, and has a pulley 74 on its shaft 72. A belt 64 is trained over the motor pulley 74 and over the pulley 62 whereby the piston 40 is operated.

As the piston 40 is reciprocated, and crosses the open lower end 36 of the hopper 32, buoyant bodies 24 are intermittently pushed by the piston 40 toward the forward end of the cylinder 38.

The cylinder 38 is lined with a flexible lining 76 of any suitable material, which substantially conforms to the contours of the buoyant bodies 24, so as to prevent back pressure from a high pressure line 78, in communication with the forward end of the cylinder 38, see Figure 4, from working back through the cylinder 38. The high pressure conduit 78 may incorporate couplings 80 for-connecting to opposite ends thereof a pump hose 82 and the conveyor hose 20. A high pressure pump 16 on the salvaging ship 10 supplies pressure to the hose 82.

In order to prevent buoyant bodes 24 beyond the open-- ing 36 from being moved rearwardly in the cylinder 38 toward the opening 36 of the hopper 32, the part of the cylinder 38 forwardly of the hopper 32 has therein one or more one-way valve assemblies, indicated generally at 84. The one-Way valve assemblies 84 comprise pivoted gates 86 mounted on shafts 88 extending across raised domes 90 in the upper side wall of the cylinder 38. Each dome 90 defines a recess 92 within which a normally depressed gate 86 can'pivot in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 4, to permit movement of buoyant bodies 24 forwardly past the valve assembly to the pressure conduit 78. The gate 86 engages behind a buoyant body 24 in its depressed position, so as to positively hold such buoyant body and those forwardly thereof, from moving rearwardly in the cylinder 38. One end of the shafts 88 extend laterally outwardly of the domes 98, see Figure 3, and have thereon lateral arms 94 with which are associated spring means 96 which urge the shaft in a clockwise direction, so as to depress the gates 86.

As the buoyant bodies 24 emerge into the pressure conduit 78, they are driven by pressure moving therethrough to pass through the hose 20 into the hull of the ship 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for raising a sunken ship, a salvage ship, a frame secured to said salvage ship, a hopper assembly mounted on said frame comprising a horizontal cylinder having rear and forward ends, a hopper mounted on said frame having an open lower end in communication with said cylinder at a point intermediate the ends a of the cylinder, buoyant bodies in said hopper feeding gravitationally through said open end into the cylinder, a high pressure conduit extending across the forward end of said cylinder with the forward end of the cylinder opening into said conduit, a conveyor hose connected to oneend of said conduit for introduction into the hull of a sunken ship, a high pressure pump on the salvage ship having a pressure hose connected to the other end of the conduit, a piston working in said cylinder across the open lower end of the hopper, a piston rod having a forward end pivoted to the piston and a rear end we tending out of the rear end of the cylinder, and motor means on said support and connected to the rear end of the piston rod for reciprocating said piston in the cylinder.

2. In apparatus for raising a sunken ship, a salvage ship, a frame secured to said salvage ship, a hopper assembly mounted on said frame comprising a horizontal cylinder having rear and forward ends, a hopper mounted on said frame having an open lower end in communication with said cylinder at a point intermediate the ends of the cylinder, buoyant bodies in said hopper feeding gravitationally through said open end into the cylinder, a high pressure conduit extending across the forward end of said cylinder with the forward end of the cylinder opening into said conduit, a conveyor hose connected to one end of said conduit for introduction into the hull of a sunken ship, a high pressure pump on the salvage ship having a pressure hose connected to the other end of the conduit, a piston working in said cylinder across the open lower end of the hopper, a piston rod having a forward end pivoted to the piston and a rear end extending out of the rear end of the cylinder, and motor means on said support and connected to the rear end of the piston rod for reciprocating said piston in the cylinder, a resilient lining in and extending lengthwise of said cylinder and eompressively engaging buoyant bodies in the cylinder so as to prevent pressure from the pressure conduit from backing up through the. cylinder.

3. In apparatus for raising a sunken ship, a salvage ship, a frame secured to said salvage ship, a hopper assembly mounted on said frame comprising a horizontal cylinder having rear and forward ends, a hopper mounted on said frame having an open lower end in communication with said cylinder at a point intermediate the ends of the cylinder, buoyant bodies in said hopper feeding gravitationally through said open end into the cylinder, a high pressure conduit extending across the forward end of said cylinder with the forward end of the cylinder opening into said conduit, a conveyor hose connected to one end of said conduit for introduction into the hull of a sunken ship, a high pressure pump on the salvage ship having a pressure hose connected to the other end of the conduit, a piston working in said cylinder across the open lower end of the hopper, a piston rod having a forward end pivoted to the piston and a rear end extending out of the rear end of the cylinder, and motor means on said support and connected to the rear end of the piston rod for reciprocating said piston in the cylinder, a resilient lining in and extending lengthwise of said cylinder and compressively engaging buoyant bodies in the cylinder so as to prevent pressure from the pressure conduit from backing up through the cylinder, and spring pressed gate valve means in said cylinder forwardly of the hopper permitting forward movement of buoyant bodies in the cylinder and preventing rearward movement of buoyant bodies in the cylinder. 

